Candy Cane Car on eBay for a 'sweet' $1.7M

The “Buy It Now” price may be $1,700,000, but the steep price tag hasn’t prevented bidders on Ebay from making their best offer on Dave Clayman’s Candy Cane Car. Really a 1991 maroon Toyota Camry LE, the Candy Cane Car is getting bids of up to $2,025.

Clayman is the current owner of the car, which started out as an American flag car for a Memorial Day Parade three years ago.

While cleaning out a friend’s basement, he stumbled upon an old exercise bike. Clayman’s unique logic led him to affix the bike (permanently) to the roof of his car.

“I can exercise whenever I want,” he explained. “I can go to the beach and exercise. And my dog can come, too.”

After the bike made its home on the Toyota’s roof, he decided he would convert the maroon sedan into a patriotic mobile.

Armed with white duct tape, Clayman striped the entirety of his vehicle. After his debut in the parade, he tended to the car for months, replacing the strips of tape as they fell off.

Eventually, he stumbled upon reflective tape, and replaced the duct tape with the more durable strips of reflectors.

Now Clayman boasts that his car reflects 900 candlepower.

As the years passed, Clayman thought he would change his patriotic car to a candy cane car. He removed the star hubcaps he had installed and swapped out flags for candy canes.

The finishing touch was his dog, Pogo, a Boston terrier that he refers to as his “live hood ornament.”

Clayman has even gone on road trips in the Candy Cane Car dressed as Santa Claus.

Recently, he took a drive to Rhode Island Hospital, and to Hasbro, to attempt to bring smiles to the patients inside. Clayman rode around the hospital’s rotary for a half hour, until he got pulled over by security.

He explained to the guard that he only planned on driving in circles for another three hours. The guard asked him to take his vehicle elsewhere.

“You get to meet a lot of police driving this,” he said.

The Candy Cane Car isn’t the only nonsensical thing Clayman owns. He also jumps around on a 7-inch pogo stick. His philosophy, he said, is to make no sense.

“Laughter is the best medicine,” he said. “I’ve dedicated my life to nonsense.”

So why, after a life full of silliness, sell the Candy Cane Car now?

“Well, I’m 46 years old and I’ve decided to become more serious in life,” he said.

Clayman thought the best way to become more serious would be by playing a joke, and so he put his car on Ebay. He thought it would be a fun holiday treat.

But people started bidding on the car, and if the reserve is met by Dec. 22, he’s legally bound to sell it.

Clayman wouldn’t say what the reserve was, but the 23 bids placed so far have not met Clayman’s minimum price.

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful car,” he said.

On his websites and on the car itself, Clayman has signs that read “Not for Sale: Call 556-8529.” He even placed a classified ad in USA Today that reads, “Candy Cane Car is not listed on Ebay for sale! Please do not look for the car on Ebay. Do not call 556-8529.”

“My phone’s been ringing off the hook!” he said. He’s proud of his reverse-psychology marketing skills.

Despite his joke taking an unexpected turn, Clayman says he’ll “go with it” if the reserve is met.

“Plan A is to sell the car,” he said. “Plan B is to not sell the car.”

If he does sell the car, Clayman plans to “retire” from his old nonsensical ways.

“I’ll stay home and organize my sock drawer,” he said.

But he added that he’ll likely use the money from the sale to fund a new nonsensical endeavor, making it hard to believe he’ll stay “retired” for very long.

“The money will be spent on the ultimate nonsense. I’ll make the world a happier place because of silliness,” he said.